| In September of 2004, after tearing the ligaments in my right ankle, I was surprised to find that after only a week of practice, my ankle was back on track. But the true testament to Bikram Yoga for me came later in December, after a New Year's ski trip to Colorado where I fell and tore both my ACL and MCL in my right knee. After returning to Texas and visiting two Orthopedic surgeons, both opinions deemed surgery a necessity, with physical therapy before the procedure. I was an emotional wreck.
I returned to the studio just to be in the room, and with the support of Karen and David, it wasn't long before I quit physical therapy and allowed the yoga to heal my knee and mental state.
The surgeon said it was time to schedule surgery, and though I wasn't positive about my decision, I went ahead and scheduled it for March 16, 2005. Meanwhile, I was fortunate to help coordinate the arrival of Baba Rampuri to the studio, and to accompany Karen, David, and Baba to dinner that evening. Discussing my surgery at dinner, Baba Rampuri asked me if I knew for sure that was what I wanted and the best I could muster was a qualified and hesitant 'yes'. Baba told me the story of Bikram: many years ago he had injured his knee and doctors said he would never walk again. They encouraged me to call Bikram to discuss my decision, and the next day I left a message with Bikram's assistant in Los Angeles. He called me back the very next day and left me a message. "Christeeennna, this is Biiiikram. No surgery. Call me." When we did speak, he encouraged me I did not need the surgery to make a full recovery. The day before my scheduled surgery, as I stood in class, I realized how strong, both mentally and physically, I had become since my injury. I decided not to have the surgery then and there. Finally, I felt content!
Bikram Yoga has opened my mind to many possibilities, allowed me to connect with my body and mind, and with others around me. Not only has it healed my knee, it has shown me how strong I am, the value of life, family and friends. I have committed myself to my practice and come 7 days a week. My calf and quad are back to normal size. A few weeks ago, I was finally able to go back into fixed firm, a posture I had been unable to achieve since my injury! | | |
| | Words of Wisdom from the Doctor | What can I say? I was a Bikram Challenge flunkie -- I did NOT attend my 4 classes a week, nor did I lose any weight--in fact, I gained a couple of pounds! But taking LifePak vitamins twice a day was something I could handle. As a doctor, you would think I could do better eating fruits and vegetables, but I am like every other working mother: meals are grabbed on the go after a long day at work. I just don't have the time to throw a salad together in the morning. So I knew the vitamins were working when I had such a high increase in my antioxidant level (Dr. Joglar's body defense score increased from 19,000 to 47,000). Not to mention my improved energy level and more sound and restful sleep.
This change in anti-oxidant levels has motivated me to continue taking LifePak and I'm putting forth a better effort to eat more healthfully. The medical community is starting to put more emphasis on good nutrition, acknowledging that what we eat is so vital to our health. The nutrients we put into our bodies are what our body uses to function, repair damage, and re-build tissue. It is undeniable that the body works more efficiently when it is given what it needs. I think more tests like the BioPhotonic Scanner will be developed and widely used by the medical community. When people know where they are deficient, they can make the changes through healthier food choices and dietary supplements.
Even though I did not meet the challenge I made for myself, I love this yoga! I know it is not about competition. It is simply the best stress reducer I know. After a class, my worries evaporate and I focus on what is important in life. I become aware once again of how my body moves, reacts to stress, reacts to relaxation. By being more aware of my body, I become more aware of how I want to care for it. I am more aware of how I react or decide not to react to the world. I am also thankful for the yoga community. It is comforting to be surrounded by others trying to make a difference in his or her own body, which translates to desiring making a difference in the world.
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| | Greatest Change in Body Measurements | Before I decided to commit to the Summer Bikram Challenge, I was taking a multi-vitamin and my diet followed a modified Weight Watchers plan. Attendance to class was more or less sporadic. I found my body tight and my stress level taxing. For the challenge, I made the commitment to class 3 times a week, and was invigorated to find that some weeks I even got in an extra 4th class! Generally, I feel more grounded, limber, calm and relaxed as a result of my consistency of practice. I am less prone to react to situations that would have pushed my stress buttons before. With improved posture and a leaner figure (lost 9 inches overall) I can fit into my jeans again! I feel healthy, abundant, and fully alive thanks to participating in the challenge.
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| | | I've been a Bikram Yoga student for quite some time but continually struggled with losing weight. Before the Summer Bikram Challenge, I had moderate to healthy eating habits, but was not taking a high grade of supplements. I am a national sales manager and travel often with my job; still I averaged 3 classes a week. I decided for the challenge I would strive to attend class 4 or 5 times a week, focus on consistently better eating habits, and take the Pharmanex supplements regularly.
As the challenge continued, I was surprised and frustrated that though I did shed a few pounds, the changes in my weight were modest in light of the intense effort I was putting forth. This lead me on a serious quest to find out why I continued to struggle with weight loss when it appeared to me I was doing everything "right". Halfway through the challenge, I uncovered that I have and probably have had for the last three years a significant thyroid problem. The challenge then became not just a physical quest but an emotional one as well-- I began in earnest to search for answers for my underlying weight issue (which I now know is 70% attributed to my under-active thyroid). This has obviously altered the landscape of my life completely.
After the challenge, I have realized weight loss, and discovered health issues I can focus on alleviating through Bikram Yoga. I have improved energy and have made it a habit to visit Bikram studios while on the road for business. I personally thank David and Karen for motivating me by providing the vehicle through which I have discovered a way, at long last, to achieve balance. I also appreciate Chris and Victoria Campbell for introducing me to an enhanced supplement program - Pharmanex, which has also impacted my overall health.
I shared with Karen that this challenge really for me became more about what I had gained rather than what I had lost. Had I not signed up and really focused on my overall health for the three months of the challenge, I probably would not have gained the invaluable insight I now have regarding my thyroid issue and my overall health.
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| | Diet & Exercise Can Make a Difference | Before the Summer Bikram Challenge, my diet was healthy and I exercised (both weight training and cardio), but was sporadic about taking supplements. For the challenge, I increased my frequency with yoga to average 3 classes a week and began taking Pharmanex LifePak regularly. I quit all additional cardio workouts during the challenge, but did continue to lift weights. My exercise schedule was unique in that, due to several lengthy trips, I ended up doing many classes (even a double) while in Dallas, then skipping town (and class!) for 10 days in a row. My diet remained consistently healthy throughout, and I have taken my vitamins and supplements on a regular basis.
Though I felt great before the challenge, I felt markedly better after increasing the number of classes. If my schedule would allow it, I would do this yoga 7 days a week! The overall healthy awareness and the increase in classes caused inches and weight loss. It's hard to quantify specifically the effects of taking the vitamins, but it has certainly been positive. In fact, I have received several compliments that my hair looks healthier and one person even suggested it looks a little more filled in. They had no idea I had changed my supplement routine and the comments were unsolicited. I am happy to report that the combination of increased classes, healthy food choices, and consistent supplement intake has made a measurable difference in how I feel every day.
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| | | I have found Bikram yoga to be so much more than exercise. It is a rejuvenation of the spirit and the mind. After dancing professionally for six years with the Fort Worth Dallas Ballet, I eventually retired from dancing due to the continuous degeneration of cartilage in my knee. After my dance career ended I started attending SMU as a full time student, and it was not long before my body and mind craved what I once had with ballet.
My studies and my life had made me very stressed. I had progressively become more and more bottled up, without any outlet or release. I came to my first class as finals week was approaching. My first class was a disaster! For nearly a year I had been living on coffee as an aid to help me study, and my body was extremely dehydrated and full of toxins. I barely made it through class, sitting down repeatedly to control my nausea. I left that first class, however, knowing I would come back the next day to try again. The feeling I had was akin to how my body felt after a hard day of dancing, and that amazing connection to myself and my spirit kept me coming back.
At first I noticed how profoundly Bikram helped me manage the stress of studying. With only a week of yoga, the extreme heaviness seemed lifted, and I felt my spirit lighten. Even my fiance commented on the remarkable change he saw after only a few days at Bikram! It is as if I cleared away all the blockages that had built up from daily life, weighing me down before, and found the truly happy me! As I have continued my practice, these benefits have permeated not just my scholastic endeavors, but every aspect of my life.
I believe there is a strong connection between the mind, body, and spirit. I have found practicing Bikram everyday strengthens this connection, removing the "stuff" that before used to block my way. I feel more balanced and in tune to my life, my desires, others, and myself. Bikram yoga is a catalyst for true transformation. | | |
| | | At 37, I married, moved from Los Angeles to Dallas with my new husband, and began what would be a remarkable journey to motherhood. Since childhood, I'd been diagnosed with
"Polycystic Ovarian Disease," and knew that having children would be challenging if not impossible. I began infertility treatments, and within three years, endured 7 artificial inseminations, 2 invitro fertilizations, and 5 failed pregnancies. My husband and I decided our best option was to adopt a child, and we began that arduous process.
My last pregnancy ended midterm: on January 10, 2002, I had to complete 10 hours of labor and deliver our baby boy, who didn't make it. To help myself recover emotionally & physically, I began attending Bikram Yoga Dallas. Previously, I'd tried other yoga classes at various studios, but none of them allowed the deep relaxation provided by the heated room and attentive instructors. The care and encouragement enabled me to gain back my strength and brave the road to recovery after our tremendous loss. Working every muscle, tissue, and organ in the body, my health improved dramatically and I was at the best physical condition of my life.
The following May, I noticed I was beginning to feel nauseous, but the idea of
pregnancy Mother Nature's way never even occurred to me! You can imagine how amazed my husband and I were to discover, after all the treatments and heartaches, I was pregnant--naturally! The following January 10 (the date is anything but a coincidence) I delivered our baby girl, whom we lovingly refer to as "Miracle Misha, Our Bikram Yoga Baby!" I truly believe the physical condition I had reached through Bikram Yoga enabled my body to withstand the rigors of conceiving naturally, and carrying a baby to term. I am grateful to everyone at Bikram Yoga Dallas, for lending a hand in bringing me to a condition of health, aiding in recovery, and helping me become a mother.
I now attend classes each and every weekday, and it is the greatest gift I've ever given myself and my family.
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| | | I literally came to Bikram Yoga out of desperation. With a long history of left shoulder pain, I had traveled the path of traditional doctor, dutifully attended physical therapy, and endured cortisone injections twice in a vain attempt to alleviate the pain. I was reduced to sleeping each night on a heating pad or ice, only able to sleep on my back. Consuming large amounts of pain medication, I was on the brink of surgery as on option of last resort.
At that point, the pain had spread from my neck down to my waist, from my spine down to my left forearm, and my left hand was going numb throughout the day. As a nurse/personal trainer, I know how frustrating it can be to receive a vague description of pain from a patient, so I decided I would go to yoga long enough to stretch the tight muscles and become a better historian for the doctor.
After a few days of Bikram yoga, however, my pain disappeared! Having lived in state of constant tension for so long, I was literally shocked with how extraordinary it felt to be pain-free. The challenge comes when my muscles attempt to return to a state of high tension, but as long as I commit to my practice regularly, I do not need pain medication or massages.
Additionally, before Bikram, having slacked off on diet and exercise, my cholesterol had crept up to 216 in August. Though I began yoga with the intention to alleviate shoulder pain, I put it to the test when the instructor said that certain poses would clean out the arteries. I did not change my diet, and did not add any other exercise, and after only two months, was pleased to find my cholesterol had dropped to 205! The truth is plain: I can't afford not to keep coming to Bikram yoga, and it just keeps getting better, physically and otherwise.
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| | Increased Energy, Focus and Balance | I used to be a runner. I got serious about it when I quit smoking at age 33, and trained and ran races up to half-marathons. A good running week for me was 35-40 miles, but as time went by, I found it more and more difficult to maintain consistent training levels. About three years ago I more or less conceded that running was going to be relegated to the memory shelf, as my body just wasn't its old shoe-tough self, and had begun to complain.
When I came to Bikram yoga eight months ago, I didn't expect to like it. In fact, I didn't actually believe I'd even finish my first class, so the fact that I made it through and actually enjoyed parts was wonderfully surprising! Though I felt energized after class, I anticipated I would awaken the next day with screaming muscles and aching joints, but I was pleased to find I was wrong! This is the only conditioning activity I have ever experienced that didn't zap me in the early going, but instead provided new and exciting challenges each time I entered the room.
The gifts of this yoga reach far beyond the physical, and I am constantly recharged by new benefits as I continue my practice. One major plus is the fact that I simply enjoy being in class: even my "worst" classes provide a challenging, elevating, stimulating experience wherein I learn through the "pain". I have yet to come away from a class with any serious or lasting discomfort. And I have been delighted to find steady energy throughout the day and deep sleep at night. I am generally more relaxed, and hold less residual tension in my body. When I do encounter some momentarily strenuous activity in daily life, whether it be physical, mental, or emotional, I find it is less likely to throw me off balance. With running, I seemed to have my head in the future; with yoga, I seldom find myself looking past the moment. The process of executing the poses and focusing on the narration is quite simply engrossing, and my mind doesn't seem to escape to the finish line or the cool air waiting outside. This is, of course, a lesson I take with me outside the classroom as well. | | |
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